United Way of Berks County

Live United

Community Snapshot

Monitoring Our Community's Changing Needs

United Way of Berks County is pleased to share a new quarterly report entitled Berks County Community Snapshot.  This report details our community’s changing needs resulting from local economic conditions and features data compiled by United Way, agency partners and other community organizations that are experiencing the growing requests for help.  United Way will use this data as we determine the best use of our resources to address community needs, and we are sharing it with other organizations for the opportunity to do the same.   We hope you find this report informative.

Spring 2009

Summer 2009

Fall 2009

Winter 2010

Spring 2010

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Community Impact Contacts

UWBC Initiatives and Programs

United Way Initiatives and Programs

Right From The Start

Care for Kids Coalition

HelpLink Network

Prescription Costs

 

Community Collaborations

Berks Money in Your Pocket Coalition

 

Special Funded Programs

Greater Berks Food Bank

Stable Rental Housing

Runaway and Homeless Youth

English as a Second Language Program

The Wellness Center

Did You Know?

Berks County faces many challenges each day that impact the present and future quality of life for many of its residents. Did you know…………..

  • Between 2009 and 2010, there was a 19% increase in the number of Berks County residents who received Food Stamps.
  • Over 50% of the Food Stamp Recipients in Berks County are below the age of 18.
  • Over 14% of Berks County families with children under the age of 18 were living below the poverty level in 2008.
  • The City of Reading is ranked as one of the nation’s poorest cities, having the highest poverty rate in Pennsylvania and the sixth highest in the country. (among cities with a population above 60,000)
  • In 2008, almost 17% of the Berks County adult population did not possess a high school diploma.
  • The Reading School District estimates that 70% of children entering kindergarten lack one or more skills needed to be successful in school.
  • The City of Reading has one of the highest rates of births to teen mothers in the state of Pennsylvania.